The story

The fires have swept through the state of Victoria, leaving some firefighters and police to describe the destruction "as something of a holocaust," said Phil Shepherd, an inspector with the Victoria State Police.

"We had an impact all over the state," Shepherd told CNN Monday, adding that two towns have been "completely wiped out." Read full article »

CNN's Saeed Ahmed, David Ariosto and Helena DeMoura contributed to this report.